Potato

At a glance

USDA Zones

3–10

Sun

Full sun (6+ hrs)

Water

Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry

Soil

Loam, sandy

pH

Acidic

Spacing

12 in. between plants

Per square foot

1 plant per square

Days to maturity

About 90 days

Planting & harvest windows

Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.

Good companions

• 
  Bush Bean

  Beans deter Colorado potato beetles; potatoes deter bean beetles. Mutual pest defense.

• 
  Corn
• 
  Marigold
• 
  Horseradish

Keep apart from

• 
  Tomato

  Both are nightshades and share early/late blight pathogens.

• 
  Cucumber

  Potatoes can encourage blight, and both are heavy feeders competing for water.

• 
  Squash

  Both attract similar fungal blights, and squash sprawl shades developing tubers.

Recommended varieties

• Yukon Gold

  90 daysseed

  Buttery yellow flesh — the all-purpose favorite.

• Russet Burbank

  110 daysseed

  Classic baking potato. Long storage.

• Red Pontiac

  90 daysseed

  Smooth red skin, white flesh, dependable.